All green card applicants already in the United States will now be required to leave the country and apply for permanent residency from abroad under a new Trump administration policy announced Friday, according to U.S. immigration authorities.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said the government is ending, for most applicants, the long-standing option to complete the green card process from inside the country through "adjustment of status."
Instead, foreign nationals in the U.S. on temporary visas who seek lawful permanent residency will be directed to pursue consular processing at U.S. embassies or consulates in their home countries, with in-country approval reserved only for "extraordinary circumstances" decided case by case, according to CNN.
The shift is among the most sweeping changes to legal immigration under President Donald Trump and breaks with more than five decades in which many applicants could remain in the U.S. while their status was decided.
Officials said the policy reflects the administration's view that student, tourist, and temporary work visas are meant for short-term stays and should not serve as the first step in the green card process.
USCIS said officers will have discretion to weigh "extraordinary circumstances," but has not yet provided a detailed list of qualifying scenarios.
Officials said the State Department's consular posts abroad will handle most new green card cases and that the agencies are coordinating to manage an expected increase in visa interviews and security checks, the Boston Globe reported.
The administration's announcement did not clarify whether applicants will be required to remain in their home countries for the entire duration of the process or how the change will affect those whose applications are already underway in the United States.
Economists and business groups said the rule could disrupt employers that rely on foreign workers who are in the middle of employment-based green card processes, particularly in technology, health care, engineering, and higher education.
Companies may face staffing gaps or project delays if key employees must depart the U.S. during multiyear initiatives and wait abroad for consular decisions.
Business associations have also warned that added uncertainty, including potential visa backlogs and travel interruptions, could make it harder for U.S. firms to recruit and retain specialized workers who previously viewed the green card path as more predictable, as per The Guardian.
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